The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-30


be damned" Mark xvi. 10, 1871
In recent sermon preached in Cleve-
land, O.. by Rev. DR.. Pentecost, who
for some time past has been raining his
peculiar evangelist gospel upon the sim
ners Of that town, he uses for text the
two verses which stand at the head of
my sermon, and the following is a brief
outline of the use he makes of them.
He says the one side of this text is as
true as the other. God has sworn by
an oath that the believer shall be saved,
and that the unbeliever shall be damned.
These words are the unalterable words
of Jesus Christ. They are not doc
trine of the Church, nor dogma of the
ology, but the words and teaching of
Jesus. These words divide the destiny
of men. Humanity breaks in two at
this truth; the one part passing up into
salvation and glory, and the other pass
ing on the other side downward to des-
truction.
And thus the man discourses day
after day to thousands of people, hold
ing forth this horrible doctrine of the
eternal division Of Gods family; the
one part, through belief, growing up
ward into angels; the other part through
unbelief, growing downward into devils.
I have studiously watched DR.. Pen
tecost's course from the time he opened
his mouth in Cleveland, only to learn
that the burden of his theme is the per-
manent and eternal division of Gods
human children. The good people of
that city have bestowed upon him i'm
mense patronage. In fact he has had
things about his own way, whether as
to religion or money. And who shall
say in the face OF these facts that the
doctrine of Gods eternal wrath, wreaked
forever upon a large per cent of his
weak and erring children, is no more
taught, and no longer popular, and con-
sequently it ill becomes Universalists
to lift up against it the arm of logical
and Scriptural opposition
In the presence of these strenuous
efforts to bolster up this old pagan ira
dition, the plea that there is no longer
necessity of opposing it, because it is
no longer believed, is only the pleading
of child dreading merited and right
eous chastisement. acknowledge that
it is not in good taste to undertake re-
viewing discourse before congrega-
ton who have heard nothing, and know
nothing Of the sermon of which a re-
view is undertaken; nor do we attempt
on this occasion anything of the kind,
because in the case before Us there is
but little worth reviewing, for nearly
all that the man has uttered would
prove on examination to be only huge
compilation of assumptions unsustained
by fact, by spiritual science, or any at
tempt at logical reasoning.
With him, and with those of the
same evangelistic stripe, it is, "Thus
saith the Lord" and then at once they
proceed to paint the meaning of the
"Thus saith the Lord, in the imagina-
tive colors of their own devising. With
a real, or presumed, ''Thus saith the
Lord" we have as much interest as
anybody, and consequently have the
same right of inquiry and investigation.
1. Let us proceed to a consideration
of this "Thus saith the Lord" which
sets forth that che that believeth shall
be saved, and he that believeth not shall
be damned" If, indeed, humanity
breaks in two at this truth, the one
part passing up into salvation and
glory, and the other part passing on the
other side downward to destruction, it
would seem to be of paramount import
ance to know in what to believe, and
what in reality constitutes believer,
but what answer comes from this class
to these all important questions Only
this: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved" But, says
the inspired apostle, 1.-THE devils also
believe and tremble;" are they to be
counted among the saved, because they
believe that Jesus Christ is the sent of
the living God? Universalists do not
leave this all important matter in the
hands of mere assent that proposition
is true, neither do they handle propo-
sition of this magnitude in such loose
way. We teach, because we most re-
believe, that belief leading on
at last to spiritual salvation demands
something infinitely more, and better,
than mere profession of belief that a
thing is true. We say, and with all
our might, do we emphasize the saying,
that true Christian belief involves moral
quality; and that to believe in God, is
to obey his just and righteous laws
that to "believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ" is to heed his precepts, obey
his commandments, and make his
heaven trained life pattern which we
initiate and strive to follow. Such is
belief of the Christian quality according
to our understanding of it.
Hence, we say that a man may pro-
fess to believe in God, profess to love
God, and in prayer implead God. He
may also profess conversion, join the
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